Spoke tightener



Oct. 22, E929.

R. KIRBY 1,732,685

SPOKE TIGHTENER Filed 0C. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor E@ fr@0t.22,1929. l I. l RKIRBY 1,732,685

sPK-ETIGHTENER Fil-ed oct. ,25, 192e 2 sheets-sheen 2 Inventor PatentedOct. 22, 1929 OFFICE SPOKE T'IGHTENER Application filed October 23,1928. Serial No. 314,376.

The present invention relates to a spoke tightener for wheels and hasfor its prime object to provide a device of this nature possessed of anexceedingly simple structure that is strong and durable, easy tomanipulate, compact and convenient, and thoroughly eiiicient andreliable in operation.

Vith the above and numerous other ob jects in view, as will be apparentas the dem scription proceeds, the invention resides in certain novelfeatures of construction, and in the combination and arrangement ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the apparatus embodying the features ofmy invention, showing a wheel engaged therein, a portion of the felly ofthe wheel being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 1 is an enlarged detail section, taken substantially on the lineir-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is an elevation of another' embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to Figures 1 to 11inclusive, it will be seen that numerals 5 denote a pair of spacedparallel co-eXtensive base bars held in such relationship by bolts 6 and7, having spacer sleeves 8 thereon. From each base bar 5 there rises anend standard 10, and an end standard 11, and an intermediate standard12. Bars 14 are formed on the upper ends of the standards and 12 andextend in coeXtensive spaced parallel relationship to each other,terminating in jaws 15 for straddling a spoke as is clearly indicated inFigure 1. A lever 16 is pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends betweenupper portions of the standards 10 by means of a bolt 17, f' and at oneend is formed with a head 13 to engage the outer extremity of the spokestraddled by the jaws 15. At the other end, the lever 16 is providedwith a rack quadrant 19, meshing with a pinion 20, formed in- 50 tegralwith a gear 21, rotatable on a bolt 22,

between intermediate portions of the standards 12. A bolt 23 extendsbetween the upper extremities of the standards 11 and has rockablethereon a lever 2a, with which is pivotaliy engaged a pawl 25 forengaging the gear 2l. A pawl 26 is rockable on the bolt 23, for engagingthe gear 20. Thus the gears are free to rotate in one direction byaction of the actuating pawl 25 and the holding pawl 26, when the lever211 is rocked, and thus by rocking this lever, the head and the jaws maybe clamped against opposite sides of the felly of the wheel with a spokebetween the jaws engaged by the head 13 for tightening the spoke.

In Figure 5 I have shown another embodi ment of the invention includinga base bar, 30, having one end inclined upwardly at an obtuse anglethereon as is indicated at 31, and terminating in a aw 32. A. lever 33is roclrable by the bolt 34, on the extension 31, and has a head 35 atone end for cooperating with the jaw 32. A standard 36 is fixed, as at37, to the bar 30, to rise therefrom, and this standard is free to rock.A link 33 is rockably mounted, as at 39, on the upper end of thestandard 36, and pivotally engaged as at 10 with the lever 33. Anoperating lever 41 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as at 12,on the upper end of the standard 43, engaged on the bar 30 as at 14, androclring upwardly therefrom. Gbviously, by rocking the lever i1 the link33 is rocked to roclr the lever 33 and move the head 35 toward the jaw32.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility, and advantagesof this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in thisart, without a more detailed description thereof. The presentembodiments of this invention have been disclosed in detail, merely forthe purposes of exe1npliiication, since in actual practice they attainthe features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement ofthe invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and inthe combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafterlclaimed or sacriiicing any of its advantages..

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is:

An apparatus of the class described including a pair of spaced parallelco-eXtensive base bars, each bar having standards rising` from the endsthereof, and a standard risingl from the intermediate portion thereof, abar secured to the upper end of one outer standard, and the intermediatestandard of each bar and adapted to project beyond the end standard toprovide a aw, a relatively' small and arelatively large combined gearstructure rotatably mounted between the intermediate standards, a leverpivotally mounted between the end standards last mentioned and having aquadrant rack on one end to engage with one of the gear portions, and ahead on the other for cooperation with the aforementioned jaw, a leverpivotally mounted between the upper ends of the other end standards andhaving a pawl to engage the larger Vgear portion, and an additional pawlrockably mounted on the last mentioned end standard to engage thesmaller gear portion. p 4 n In testimony whereof I aftix my signature.

ROY KIRBY.

